Drill holes in mirror, glass and tiles

I receive numerous enquiries about how to drill holes in mirror, glass and tiles, and the Divas and Guys that attend our DIY Divas workshops are amazed at how easy it actually is to drill a hole in mirror, glass or tile. The secret is using the right accessory.

 

For this feature I drilled holes into a tile using a glass & tile bit (top centre), small diamond-tipped hole saw (left) and large diamond-tipped hole saw (right). As you can see, the holes are not chipped and the tile is intact.

Of the three bits used for this project, the glass & tile bit was by far the easiest to use. It cuts like a hot knife through butter and goes through this toughened tile quickly and without any chipping. The only disadvantage of the glass & tile bit is that it doesn't come in large diameter sizes. However, it's great for small holes where you need to mount glass or mirrors onto walls, or drill holes through tiles for mounting bathroom accessories.

Using the diamond-tipped hole saw was a little bit more tricky but worked well. These bits are expensive and it's a good idea to make a small 'well' around where the hole will be and to fill this with a little water. The reason for this is that it keeps the tip cool while drilling and extends the life of the drilling edge.

Unlike the glass & tile bit that requires no special technique, when using a diamond-tipped hole saw to cut glass, mirror or tile you have to be careful. Start the drill on low power so that the drill is running before you hit the surface of the tile. Start off at a slight angle and as soon as you feel the bit start to bite into the surface of the tile, start lifting the drill up to vertical and continue drilling at high speed.

Whether you are using a small or large diamond-tipped hole sale the method is the same: Start the drill on high speed and touch the surface of the glass, mirror or tile at a slight angle. Only when the bit starts to cut into the surface should you life the drill to vertical.

NOTE: Diamond-tipped hole saws should be used at a slow speed, about 500rpm. This way they will last much longer, as they will not overheat. This is especially important on hard floor tiles. Only diamond bits will work on hard floor tiles, which can be harder than tungsten carbide.